1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stamping device that is configured to form a desired image on a surface of a processing target by stamping.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a stamping device is known that forms a desired image, for example, a photo image, a two-dimensional symbol or the like by forming a plurality of dot-like stamping indentations on a surface of a processing target formed of, for example, a metal material that is plastically deformable relatively easily such as gold, platinum, brass, aluminum, stainless steel or the like, or a resin material such as acrylic resin or the like. An example of the two-dimensional symbol is a two-dimensional code including squares called “cells” arrayed in a matrix; specifically, a QR code (registered trademark), a data matrix or the like. Such a stamping device stamps a tip of a needle-like processing tool on a surface of a processing target secured by a securing jig, so that a plurality of dot-like stamping indentations are formed on the surface.
Now, such a stamping device will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a structure of a conventional stamping device 100. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a structure of a securing jig of the stamping device 100. FIG. 9 shows a partially cut-out view of the stamping device 100 for easier understanding. In FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, X axis, Y axis and Z axis are perpendicular to one another, and the stamping device 100 is placed on a plane formed by the X axis and the Y axis. In FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, L refers to the left side of the X axis and R refers to the right side of the X axis as seen from a person facing the stamping device 100. F refers to the front side of the Y axis and Re refers to the rear side of the Y axis as seen from a person oriented in the same direction as the stamping device. U refers to the up side of the Z axis and D refers to the down side of the Z axis.
As shown in FIG. 9, the conventional stamping device 100 includes a housing 101. The housing 101 includes a flat plate-like base member 102. A carriage 116, a stamping head 118, and a securing jig 120 are located inside the housing 101. The carriage 116 is movable in an X axis direction, a Y axis direction and a Z axis direction by a moving mechanism (not shown). The stamping head 118 is held by the carriage 116. Because of such a structure, the stamping head 118 is movable three-dimensionally. The securing jig 120 secures a processing target 200. The securing jig 120 is secured to a top surface 102a of the base member 102.
The securing jig 120 is detachably attached to a front portion of the base member 102. As shown in FIG. 10, the securing jig 120 includes a flat plate-like base table 140. On a top surface 140a of the base table 140, plate-like members 142a and 142b extend in the X axis direction while being substantially parallel to each other. The plate-like members 142a and 142b sandwich the processing target 200 shown in FIG. 9 and thus secure the processing target 200 to the securing jig 120. With such a structure, the stamping head 118 is moved by the carriage 116 three-dimensionally with respect to the processing target 200 to perform stamping on the surface 200a of the processing target 200.
However, with the above-described conventional stamping device 100, a thickness T (a length in the Z axis direction) of the processing target 200 shown in FIG. 9 needs to be shorter than a distance in the Z axis direction between a bottom end of a processing tool 136 of the stamping head 118 located at an uppermost position thereof and the top surface 140a of the base table 140 (hereinafter, the distance will be referred to as the “distance between the processing tool 136 and the base table 140”). When the thickness T of the processing target 200 is longer than or equal to the distance between the processing tool 136 and the base table 140, the processing target 200 cannot be secured to the securing jig 120. More specifically, there is a limitation on the thickness T of the processing target 200 on which stamping can be performed, and the thickness T is shorter than the distance between the processing tool 136 and the base table 140. Because of such a situation, a stamping device capable of performing stamping with no limitation on the thickness T of the processing target 200 is desired but not provided in the prior art.